This book an excellent one for beginners being introduced to C++ programming. The author take small steps and builds up on the language gradually.The topics of arrays and pointers have been introduced and presented in an excellent manner. The simplicity with which the material is explained is unparallel. The explanations are concise. This shall be a good book for beginnners to start with.

An alphabetical list of literary terms explained simply and clearly, and with frequent examples whose choice is sometimes charmingly coloured by the authors' (Australian) nationality. It is light and interesting enough to read out-right, or you can dip in. And why is it out of print when so much rubbish is in?

By the way, I also recommend Rae's "The Critical Sense".

I enjoyed reading and using this book as a reference for understanding the shih tzu. I do wish that there were more color pictures. Most of the pictures in this book are black and white with only a few color. It is an interesting book for new shih tzu owners.

A handy book. Girzone is a mostly liberal Catholic, although in some areas he's surprisingly conservative. A good resource to prepare for the inevitable questions about religion and life that your children will ask.

wow i highly recommend american pyscho.
basically it is the 1st-person POV tell-all confessional of a wealthy young Wall-Street type in 1980s Manhattan. He is a member of a large social/business network of yuppies who, like him, are shallow, ruthlessly ambitious, and fake. However, what makes him special is that he is a clinical psychopath. By day he hangs out at trendy clubs and restaurants, works out, and generally pampers himself. By night, he tortures people in his apartment.
it's a very funny, brutal satire of yuppies/the 80s/consumer culture/etc. more importantly, it's an incredibly realistic, powerful portrait of a man who is completely gone mentally, incapable of emotion or empathy. The writing grips you- it's almost hypnotic. This is a must read- masterfully written, very powerful, tons of things to address in it.

just to respond to some earlier reviews, in which it asked WHY DOES PB DO WHAT HE DOES, here's my two cents- he isnt a sadist, he doesnt get pleasure from causing pain- rather he's curious about other human beings and wants desperately to connect. in the book's most horrifying, climatic torture scenes, he literally "opens up" his victims. he lives in a superficial world and wants to understand what's "inside" people. since he can't do this in the figurative sense- by connecting emotionally to people- he literally looks inside them. when people "open up" to him in another way (Luis Carruthers; Jean) he is confused

If you seek a reprieve from what could be termed the further "Grishamization" of fiction novels defined as: lining the pockets of lawyers by purchasing books written by lawyers in which lawyers save the day, then a Bret Easton Ellis bibliography should become your literary "Zagat". Hopefully, the perpetrators of these cookie cutter bestsellers/screenplays will not find yet another shortcut down the yellow brick road to unlimited success paved by their publishers by trying to imitate the disturbed style, dark side imagination, and obsessive-compulsive character development as offered in American Psycho. Thankfully, no one after reading this genuine piece of creativity could possibly conjure up the image of Harrison Ford as the GQ, Wall Street, pretend to be spree killer , Patrick Bateman. Like all original masterpieces there is a proportionate amount of the overall work to like in relationship to what detractors will tell you not to like. For example, you may develop a newly founded appreciation for the existence of yuppies when they are personified as intelligent, beautiful, and well dressed with a taste for orgiastic sex, blood splattering mayhem, and fine dining. One might even consider this book to posses an underlying satirical depiction of the Eighties as a social theme if the positive references and benevolent treatment of such legendary talent as Huey Lewis and the News, INXS, Belinda Carlisle, and Christopher Cross are ignored. Surly parody cannot be blended with or contain such truth and accuracy as the following excerpt; "...Genesis is still the best, most exciting band to come out of England in the 1980s." American Psycho can with all of its critical pitfalls still be heeded as exaggerated and erotic art expressing sometimes grim and meaningless reality. Even when placed into the context of present day you will feel compelled to side with the main character and his seemingly esoteric and determined struggle to justify his own significance and that of those he comes in contact with.Once more, with what is successfully passing for entertainment in the nineties, Hollywood may after all wish to consider adapting a second Ellis novel for theatrical release. While their attempt may not convey the author's original intent, at least a talented individual will reap the monetary reward for a change.

I've said on numerous occasions that the book I just read might be the best book that I've ever come across to. But always, afterwards, and after reading yet another book, I've taken my words back.

Not after reading American Psycho. I think I just met the greatest single novel I've ever seen. It's such a fine piece of literature it makes me mad with jealousy.

There's not a single aspect in American Psycho that doesn't please me. Ellis is a marvellous writer and the main character Patrick Bateman is truly captivating. Despite all his racist opinions you actually dig the guy, until he commits yet another barbaric act of murder. And then you feel pity, you are afraid of him, you hope that he doesn't repeat what he's just done, only to find out next time will be worse.

What many critics have failed to do is to see beneath the gory and porn-filled surface, to see the satire, the strong criticism of the 80's yuppie lifestyle, the community which init's all surface no feeling -ideology allows monsters such as Bateman to exist.

AP consist basically of descriptions of horror, sex and expensive products--which some people have found simply boring, I loved it--and dialogue often so funny you can't help but laugh aloud.

There was not one moment I didn't like American Psycho. At times I was disgusted as hell, but all of it fits into the story perfectly and seamlessly, and as a whole AP is something I'll probably read again in no time.

Which is my personal record, by the way, as there are few books that I've read twice...

I kinda like Bret Easton Ellis. I like American Psycho. Most people will argue that Ellis' books are usually pointless, and have no plot, and go nowhere. At first, I thought this same thing. But after finishing Less Than Zero, I have come to realize his intention was not to have a definite plot, solid characterization, or a grand climax. He writes exactly as real life usually goes. He is a satirist, not a fiction novel writer.

In the instance of the book, real life is pointless. These kids do drugs, have sex, party, get stoned, and repeat. It's a never ending cycle of nothing. And they feel like they have it all. They have become so disillusioned to it all that they feel nothing anymore. Clay, on the other hand, comes upon the realization that the life in LA IS empty.

There's a lot of little, tiny symbols scattered throughout the book, which make it interesting. Despite there being no plot, I kind of liked how Ellis portrayed this life of college kids in LA. It really makes me glad I'm not part of those sheep.

By the way, don't listen to what the back of the book says about it being Catcher in the Rye for the "MTV generation". It's far from it. It's insulting to Catcher to call it that.

It's a quick read, maybe 3 hours. But don't read it expecting any sort of drastic character transformation or some sort of revelation to be discovered. I almost threw it out the window half way through, but decided to plow through the rest of it.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS) I was past page 100 when I started thinking this novel was the same as every other novel by Bret Easton Ellis: repetitious dialogue that seems to just take up space; self-absorbed characters that talk that dialogue like they're infected with tumors from radiation fallout; and LOTS of drug consumption.

Well, I must say I was surprised when, at around page 130 or so, "Less Than Zero" became a startlingly emotional and even tragic novel. The plot (such as it is) has Clay, an 18-year old college student, returning to his L.A. home for Christmas break only to discover his friends are lost in a world of drugs and partying.

At first, Clay's interaction with these characters is redundant and dull, like a hangover after a drug warp. The first hundred pages are typically anticlimactic of Ellis, but when Clay begins to show concern for what's going on around him, "Less Than Zero" becomes frighteningly real. Some examples of great, tragic scenes are: the motel room where Clay watches the businessman have sex with his friend, Julian; the discovery of the dead body in the alley; and the rape of the 12-year old girl. Ellis lavishes such attention to these segments that they burn themselves onto your memory and embody the dead soul of his version of Los Angeles.

But what I think won me over was the italicized sections that chronicled the decline of Clay's grandmother, who was dying of pancreatic cancer. I was shocked at how Ellis made these sections heartfelt, considering most of his novels since this one have just emphasized emotionless, heartless characters. Also surprisingly Un-Ellis were the scenes when Clay goes out alone into the desert or to a movie or to his old elementary school--this brings back the cold air of teenage alienation and is handled subtly, without exaggeration.

Some may argue over Ellis's writing ability, but it's hard not to argue with the nihilism and emptiness of this debut. It's justified, and the characters assimilate to that emptiness because that's all they know how to do. Probably the most "moral" novel Ellis has written.

Bret Easton Ellis deftly describes suburban L.A. as a an indefatigable moral vacuum that sucks any remaining semblance of morality away from the souls of his characters - namely Clay, Blair, & Julian. Ellis has aptly drawn from his influences of Hemingway(The Sun Also Rises), Fitzgerald(The Great Gatsby), and Elliot(The Wasteland) in delivering a tour de force that still resolutely resonates almost 20 years later. Although the singers(Billy Idol), video games(Centipede), cars(Fiat) have all changed since the writing in 1985, the central theme of disillusion and moral bankruptcy unfortunately still reverberates into the 21st Century. Ellis proves to be the master of shocking, eye-opening, outrageous, provocative, yet addictive and intoxicating prose that forced me to read until the book was finito. Ellis has been quoted as saying he distinctly loathes the movie seeing as very little of the script is taken directly from the book. Suffice it to say, the book itself is an achievement in literature that many have since copied, but none have duplicated

I think the CD-ROM would be great to have, but I can't find it anywhere! Noel Rowe's _Pictorial Guide to the Primates_ is much much better.

This was a great reference book, but not a favorite of mine. I bought this version for a primates class yet it only helped minimally. The suggested class texts by Collinge and Napier proved to be by far the most effective tools in our research,the actual cd-rom version was very nice b/c it was in color and photographs could be viewed easier. The resale value was poor also!

As a primatologist, I suggest that this book would make an excellent addition to community college libraries. It gives specific information regarding diet, location (including a map), social groupings, and current status as well as a clear image of the primate. I use it to supplement texts, as it covers a variety of species not usually discussed.

If you are an art teacher, you will find that this book contains the usual, predictable stuff. This book is good for the elementary teacher who must include art within her weekly lessons and has little or no background in art. For an art specialist, I would not recommend this book. There are only 2 or 3 lessons that I would use. Many of them are centered around monthly themes or holidays. If you teach according to the holidays, then you will find this helpful, otherwise... continue shopping.

I am a teacher and find myself disappointed by cuts in districts where art is no longer offered for elementary school students. This book could make anyone an art teacher, with excellent one page lesson plans that anyone could do! I suggest this book with no reservations for anyone who values 'old school' arts and crafts!

By her own admission, Easton knows little about music. This does not prevent here from offering us a great deal of inofrmation about music, most of it mistaken. She shares with a lot of people in this position an embarrassing naivete about what it is to perform, and a corresponding lack of insight into the particular circumstances of du Pre's retirement from the stage. It is hard to understand why someone who knows nothing of music should want to write the story of one of the century's leading musicians. Given that she has done so, it is a reasonable job, as far as one can tell, in relation to the non-musical facts. She is particularly fairminded in dealing with the enigma of du Pre's final nurse, Ruth Ann.

This is a great book about a great 'cellist. It is a welcome change in the world of tabloid biographies. Easton does a wonderful job in writing about an all to often neglected and forgotten genius

It apparently took Ellis about 8 years to write this book, and it certainly shows. Despite whatever was going on his personal life that made him take time off, he tried to pack too much into this work. It feels very labored, and there are too many devices which impede the story from moving forward in any satisfying way. Most notably, the whole idea of the different film crews running the show. Also, Victor is too unlikable, and frankly, too stupid of a character to justify nearly 500 pages of his little journey. The story goes awry when he leaves New York on the QE2, and the terrorism, of course described in loving detail by Ellis, including pages and pages of description of a place crash, is utterly without poignance. Even the sex scenes are unnecessarily over the top, almost numbing and certainly pornographic. Overall though, a must for Ellis fans I guess. There is quite a bit that is downright hilarious in this book. It just feels a lot less complete or neat as American Psycho, if that makes sense.

I'll admit it: Bret Easton Ellis writes about the kind of people I love to hate. Shallow and superficial, Ellis' protagonists are those glitzy, damaged, artificial souls that only emotionally fragile people find attractive; people who have no talent, no intelligence and nothing at all to be proud of yet seem to be proud of their shallowness anyway while deep down despising themselves and everything they stand for. They're the kind of people you'd meet at Hollywood parties, at the Cannes Film Festival, in the casino at Monte Carlo.

Ellis, however, doesn't let these icons of superficiality and stupidity get away with their silliness. Instead, he always reveals them for the monstrosities and curiosities they really are. He lets us know that behind a public persona is...nothing.

"Glamorama" is a dark and bizarre book that does a very good job of exposing the world of superficiality and banning its denizens into the hell they should rightfully inhabit. Sometimes it succeeds...brilliantly, yet at other times it seems to almost fall into the world of superficiality, itself.

The protagonist of "Glamorama," Victor Ward, is the perfect protagonist for this story. He's the ultimate "It-boy," a man with no personality of his own, a man for whom clubs, fashion shows, superficiality and pretension are nothing if they are not everything. In fact, Victor's entire world is tied to his media persona; take that away and Victor ceases to exist.

Victor Ward may seem quite stupid literally all of the time, but he's really not. That's one of the reasons he's the perfect protagonist for this book. Although he fails to have one rational thought process in the pages of "Glamorama," Victor is actually a college graduate and someone who could have, and should have, known better. Sure, we hate him, but that's exactly what we're supposed to do.

I thought the first half of "Glamorama" was dead-on perfect. It dealt with the opening of yet another "trendy" New York club and was so satirical it nearly shined in its brilliance. It did shine, in parts.

The middle of the book is where I had a slight problem with the story. After Victor is fired from his job, he's sent to Europe to find a girl no one in his right mind would really want to see. This, in itself, isn't bad, but the events surrounding Victor's search are just so bizarre, even for Ellis, that I thought he might have simply outdone himself and let his imagination run out of control. There are also strong hints, beginning with Victor's voyage on the QE2, that his life is not, well, really his life. Ellis is making a statement about the vacuity of pretension...I can accept that. Gladly. It is when the terrorists entered the story that I thought it was a bit over-the-top and incomprehensible. At that point, Ellis lost me and that's the only reason I gave "Glamorama" four stars instead of five. It's the only reason I don't think this book is an absolute masterpiece.

The book's ending, however, was a surprise and a very welcome one. I think Ellis truly redeemed himself and the bizarre twists on the QE2 with his superb (and very fitting) ending. There's a very strong and powerful message in the ending of "Glamorama" and it's one that's very thought-provoking as well. I think perhaps the people who didn't like this book might have been missing the point. I don't know, of course, but that would be my guess. I think anyone who doesn't think this a powerful and satirical book should reread it with an open mind. While it's not always enjoyable, it is absolutely brilliant in parts and it's quite a powerful commentary on the shallowness of life, albeit ultimately a very sad one. Sad, but oh-so-true.

After reading the many reveiws bashing this book and dismissing it for "having no plot" or being "severly disjointed", I felt the need to put in a few good words for poor Mr Ellis. I feel some of these reveiwers have missed the point. The point being that there is no point---if you can follow that. The protaganist, Victor Ward and his deviant cohorts are simply props in Ellis' satire of the celebrity obsessed society that we live in. He shows his thorough understanding of the topic with his irreverent, witty dialogue, and his ludicrous storyline. Yes, Ellis is an acquired taste...but if you start off small with maybe Less Than Zero--my personal favorite--and work your way up to Glamorama, I truly beleive that you will learn to appreciate his obsessive attention to detail and long run on sentences. It is Ellis' unique style that makes his books so intruiging. Nowhere else have I found the dark poignant nihilism that fills the pages of Ellis' novels. If you like that kind of thing, then by all means read Glamorama, because Ellis is this genre's master and this is his masterpeice.